Surfaces split neatly by how much attention you want to give them, so it helps to choose your maintenance level first and your material second.
Think about how many times your driveway gets used in a single week. School runs, commutes, deliveries, visitors, and the weekly shop. No other surface at your property works that hard, and most of them never get a second thought until something cracks or sinks. Driveways in Leatherhead earn their keep daily, so building one properly means starting with what carries the load, not what colour the blocks are.
Parklane Landscaping builds driveways across Surrey from the ground up, and the order of that sentence is deliberate. The ground comes first.
A driveway fails from underneath, almost never from on top. Every Parklane project starts with excavation to the right depth, then a compacted sub-base suited to the ground conditions, with drainage built in at the same stage, so rainwater has somewhere to go from day one. Edging and the finished surface go on last.
That sequence is what lets a drive take daily turning, several cars and the occasional heavier vehicle without rutting or sinking. It also means the surface you fall in love with actually performs, because the foundation underneath was designed for how you use it, not for how it photographs.
Gravel suits period properties and longer drives, drains naturally and costs less per square metre than anything else. In exchange, it asks for occasional raking and topping up. From traditional gravels to granite granules, the choice of stone changes the whole look. A cobbled or brick-paved finish takes the character further still, and ties a drive to an older house in a way smooth modern surfaces cannot.
Samples on your own frontage beat photographs every time, so the survey brings the options to your door.
Most new drives need no application. National rules classify a driveway of any size as permitted development, provided the surface is permeable, or the rainwater drains to a lawn or border within your own boundary. Resin-bound, gravel and permeable block paving all typically qualify.
Mole Valley District Council only becomes involved if you want more than five square metres of sealed, impermeable surface draining onto the road. A dropped kerb is dealt with separately by Surrey County Council, the highways authority. The survey covers both points early, so neither becomes a surprise later.
A speedy call or email is all it takes to begin. Describe what you have now and what you would like instead, then book the free site survey for a time that suits you. You will come away with measurements, material advice, and a written quote to consider at your own pace, with samples in hand.
The team measures the frontage, assesses the ground and drainage, and asks how the space gets used day to day, including how many vehicles it needs to hold. Material recommendations follow from that, with samples to view, and the written quote arrives afterwards with no obligation attached.
A well presented and correctly installed patio can be an outdoor space for all the family to use, creating a lovely entertaining space.
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We chose Parklane following a recommendation and during the initial consultation, we stressed that we needed the work completed by a set date due to a very important 40th Birthday party we had planned, no pressure!!! The owner, Dan was honest with us and promised he would complete the job on time but this would require them completing the work in stages which we were happy with and also completely understood due to us leaving the request to the last minute, top tip as they are a busy company, consult with them early as they are in demand!!! As promised the work was completed on time and the finished product is amazing. The team that completed the work were friendly, neat and professional. I even caught one of them washing the front of the house after mixing some mortar which was not expected and shows their pride. The end product rendered us speechless, we were so pleased with the result and the reactions from our party guests were as expected, everyone wanted Parklanes number… I would fully recommend Parklane and we are completely satisfied with their work.
